Go Back  Airline Pilot Central Forums > Airline Pilot Forums > Cargo
Things Must Be Picking Up? >

Things Must Be Picking Up?

Notices
Cargo Part 121 cargo airlines

Things Must Be Picking Up?

Old 08-31-2009, 06:46 PM
  #1  
Administrator
Thread Starter
 
vagabond's Avatar
 
Joined APC: May 2006
Position: C-172
Posts: 8,024
Default Things Must Be Picking Up?

I don't know if one can draw any logical conclusions from any of this, but I had to go to Seattle this morning (a 43 mile trip one way) and saw no fewer than 3 FedEx trucks (the big 18 wheelers) and 1 UPS truck, and several smaller trucks both purple and brown. Each and every single one of them appeared to be loaded down with freight. Some were going north and some were going south. I hope this is an indication that things are turning around for the better. Can you guys tell if the same is true by looking at the manifest?
vagabond is offline  
Old 08-31-2009, 07:49 PM
  #2  
Gets Weekends Off
 
FedExBusBoy's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Sep 2006
Position: Bus Driver
Posts: 521
Default

FDX Ground and Freight.......yes

FDX Express........not so much
FedExBusBoy is offline  
Old 09-03-2009, 05:56 AM
  #3  
Gets Weekends Off
 
MaydayMark's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Apr 2006
Position: MD-11 Captain
Posts: 4,304
Default

Vags,

As you can imagine, ALL the SEA area overnight freight moves through the SEA airport. That might explain all the trucking activity on your journey to SEA, (probably past the airport?). Hope you're right though ... we could use some good news these days
MaydayMark is offline  
Old 09-03-2009, 07:22 AM
  #4  
Gets Weekends Off
 
i121ADX's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Nov 2008
Position: Just a broker now.
Posts: 309
Default

It's all LTL and yes that is picking up because it's cheaper to move LTL than in the air.
i121ADX is offline  
Old 09-03-2009, 07:28 AM
  #5  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,235
Default

Originally Posted by i121ADX View Post
It's all LTL and yes that is picking up because it's cheaper to move LTL than in the air.
It is an indication that commerce is picking up, which is better than it dropping off. The premium air product will only recover when the economy approaches a more active phase.
757upspilot is offline  
Old 09-03-2009, 08:14 AM
  #6  
Administrator
Thread Starter
 
vagabond's Avatar
 
Joined APC: May 2006
Position: C-172
Posts: 8,024
Default

Here is a perspective of the economy from a new small business owner (that would be me). My coffee shop is not open yet, but I have been dealing with vendors of every kind - coffee beans, food, Coke, bulk sugar, toilet paper. The salesmen all start out nice and helpful like, but when we get deeper into the details, the whole transaction is similar to a casino where the odds are stacked against the small business owner. One of them even told me to "go to Costco or Cash and Carry for [my] needs." They don't want my business!!

One specialty bakery in Bellingham wouldn't even return my phone calls. Another bakery said it required me to order each and every single day and the order has to be at least $30. Here's a simple example - let's assume each muffin is $1, so I have to buy 30 muffins from them each and every single day. If I sell only 10 muffins, I'm going to have to eat the other 20 or give it away to the neighbors or the food bank across the street. If this happens each and every single day, even the food bank is going to be sick of muffins!

Gone are the days when a vendor said "whatever you need, we'll FedEx it over to you." What I hear is they will put the stuff in a truck. And I wait an extra day or two.

What does all this mean? Heck if I know.

I've got another random thought. When the recession started, traffic on I-5 decreased noticeably. The news even said that a traffic company did some research and the reduction was around 8%. I can tell all gentle readers, right now and right here, that traffic is increasing. I'm leaving for Seattle again in a couple hours and I'll see for myself. News also said that new jobless claims are down from last month.

Depending on your industry or profession, I think this country is slowly climbing out of the abyss. The "New Normal" will be very interesting to observe.
vagabond is offline  
Old 09-03-2009, 08:20 AM
  #7  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Aug 2006
Position: MD-11 Captain
Posts: 1,395
Default

Originally Posted by vagabond View Post
If I sell only 10 muffins, I'm going to have to eat the other 20 or give it away to the neighbors or the food bank across the street. If this happens each and every single day, even the food bank is going to be sick of muffins!
Make sure the food bank gets the whole muffins and not just the stumps!

YouTube - The Muffin Stumps!!!
FDXer is offline  
Old 09-03-2009, 09:28 AM
  #8  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Sep 2007
Position: 747 FO
Posts: 937
Default

Originally Posted by vagabond View Post
Depending on your industry or profession, I think this country is slowly climbing out of the abyss. The "New Normal" will be very interesting to observe.
Call me a pessimist, but I don't think that there will be a "new normal". We as a consumer society have short memories and once the economy picks up heads back to irrational exuberance, people will buy crap they can't afford and/or don't need by extending credit. Financial wizards will think of new loopholes and scams. etc. In other words, it'll be business as usual.
Zapata is offline  
Old 09-03-2009, 09:36 AM
  #9  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Aug 2008
Posts: 195
Default

Vagabond - have you ever run a coffee shop?

I would say Costco maybe a good option as a lot of businesses use them for supplies.
Could you bake in-house, not sure of the health regulations but if you had fresh muffins coming out of the oven I think customers would like it. It brings back memories of going to a BB and waking up to fresh warm muffins. Starbucks doesn't even do fresh baking. It could be a differentiating factor.

If you had a couple of PCs with Interenet connections with free use could bring in some traffic. Another idea is to have an artist hang up their art for 3-4 week period and get a commision on it.
AirbusA320 is offline  
Old 09-03-2009, 12:52 PM
  #10  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Twin Wasp's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Oct 2007
Position: Sr. VP of button pushing
Posts: 2,726
Default

Originally Posted by vagabond View Post
Gone are the days when a vendor said "whatever you need, we'll FedEx it over to you." What I hear is they will put the stuff in a truck. And I wait an extra day or two.

What does all this mean? Heck if I know.
The question is, do you want it tomorrow? If you do, they'll overnight it and bill you. You're off the edge of the map up there but most of the business in the US is east of the Mississippi. You can truck stuff in 2 and a half days for one fifth overnight rates.
Twin Wasp is online now  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Whacker77
Regional
9
07-15-2009 07:55 AM
almadadavid
Flight Schools and Training
9
06-03-2009 09:55 AM
JoeyMeatballs
Hangar Talk
0
04-12-2009 04:32 AM
detpilot
Part 135
1
02-26-2009 04:56 AM
Nosmo King
Mergers and Acquisitions
81
12-30-2008 10:19 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Your Privacy Choices